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the dining room reveal - room by room

September 11, 2014

Grab a cup of something to drink and make yourself comfortable. It's going to be a long one...

Welcome to my colorful cottage dining room. This is the view to the right as you enter from the front door.

Our cottage is very modest in size but this is actually a nice sized space. Our table seats eight comfortably and accommodates two additional large pieces of furniture without feeling crowded.

The large double hung windows are original to the house which was built in 1954. I have resisted replacing them because I love the charm they add to our home. The mahogany side board was a gift from my husband and is the one piece I refuse to paint.

This large hutch sits directly across from the windows and until last month was oak. I am still amazed at how much brighter the whole room looks now that it is painted this crisp white.

The shelves have been styled and restyled several time but I think I'm finally happy with them now. The vintage Pepsi crate holds a few wine glasses and my open bottle of wine. I had no intention of leaving the black and white frames empty but once I propped them up in the hutch I knew they would stay that way.

The crate on the bottom shelf of the hutch holds mixed drink supplies and alcohol. The blue painted wine cabinet provides storage for wine, sparkling cider and champagne.

The wall to the left of the hutch leading up the stairs is filled with family photos. One of my favorite projects is the plate gallery to the right of the hutch.

I spray painted some thrift store tin trays and then hand painted the numbers to add an uncluttered cohesive look to the back wall.

I took a risk with the multicolored curtains but I think pairing them with mostly solids throughout the rest of the dining room gives a nice cottage feel to the space without it seeming overly busy.

One of the final projects in the room was painting the dining room table and chairs. I am so happy I chose to go with the blue for the table base. I painted the chairs the same white as the hutch and covered them in an orange geometric pattern. My husbands approval rating is based on the Pee Wee Herman playhouse test. If I go too bright or bold he will say it's looking a little Pee Wee Herman in there. I'm happy to say he actually loves the room, too. Which makes it all the sweeter.

Getting the dining room finished feels like such an accomplishment. In some ways even more so than the kitchen. When I began the kitchen revamp I knew painting the cabinets was going to be a huge undertaking so I was prepared. With the dining room, I thought it would be a little tweak here and there but the little projects just kept snowballing and it actually ended up taking me longer than the kitchen to finish.

But now that it's done, it was more than worth it. I'll break down a few of the individual projects in the days to come. If there's something you'd like to know specifically just leave me a comment and I'd love to share.

I thought I'd leave you with a view of the living room, the last room I'll be tackling before my daughters baby shower in November and the rush of the holidays.

I really tried to use restrain in color and pattern but my heart kept getting in the way. I am a color loving girl...always have been and probably always will be. The biggest decorating mistakes I've made have been when I ignored that love and tried to be something I'm not.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. Come back soon.

20 comments

IT LOOKS STUNNING!!!!! having been in your house, it was darling before, but the things you have done are just awesome, LOVE the dining room table and chairs, the blue and orange are amazing...LOVE the curtains, the plates...just all of it....LOVE the shelves in the hutch too!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!.............now come remake my house lolololol

Patty,I adore your Cottage Style and your dining room is charming, dear friend!!!My favorite wall is the one with the chalkboard and the demitable!!!I do LOVE the plates on your wall. . .love how they take your eye away from all the cool air returns and thermo controls.I agree, wholeheartly. . .stay true to yourself!!!In the past, when I've tried to follow a trend, my heart wasn't filled with joy!I'm Traditional. . .all the way. . .and colorfilled, too!!!Fondly,Pat

I love it all! The blue is perfection. Love the plate wall too. I keep wanting to do one like that with mismatched plates but never get it done. The 123 trays were a wonderful idea too. You are right that little spot of simple is just right. Great job!

It's great! Love those plates by the hutch and I think those curtains are just fantastic- very 'brave' and ultimately perfect! Best of all is that you went with who you are and what you love, and that is why it just works so well!

Love it, Patty! So bright and cheerful and welcoming. I would feel right at home there. You mentioned your daughter's baby shower - is this a belated shower for your daughter who recently had a baby, or do you have another daughter? Another question...in the crate with the wine glasses, you said you have an open bottle of wine. I'm assuming it's an empty bottle of wine?!

I adore all your pops of color! I too just love using lots of color in my home. You have a wonderful eye for mixing items. Can I offer a suggestion with your "photo wall"? I have one too, and it was so hard to get the frames to all hang straight. What I do is put a little bit of sticky tack on the bottom corners and they won't move and inch. :) Can't wait to see your living room! Kit

Your home is beautiful Patty! So light and airy, my favorite features? The diamond pane windows, I have always loved that kind of window, the painted hutch and the curtains. Your sense of color and design are wonderful. I love it all!

Your room looks amazing, can I ask you how you painted your chairs, do you need a special paint. I want to paint mine but I'm not sure how to go about it. Did you use a brush or spray paint. Hope you don't mind me asking you.